Enchanted Beauty

by Marly Mathews

  “You can’t give up, Annabelle. When did I ever tell you it was okay to give up?”

  “I have no choice. I’m going to die.”

  “Not today.” He pulled her to her feet. “I might be a scoundrel and a thief, but I don’t leave the ones that I love to be fed to the lions.”

  “Da.” He half-carried, half-dragged her to the wall. They had almost made it when whoever was fighting to get in, finally did break through the wall. They were thrown to the ground in the ensuing explosion.

  Shaking her head, she sat up. Blood rushed in her ears. “Da?” She looked to where he should have been. Her heart still raced, and her lungs ached. She felt so sluggish, it was truly beginning to alarm her. Heat brushed her cheek. Placing her hand to her head, she discovered that she had a huge bloody gash above her eyebrow.

  “Brilliant. Just what I need.”

  “Da?” She struggled to right her blurry vision. One of the lenses on the spectacles was scratched.

  “I’m over here.”

  Battle raged around them. They were isolated in the rubble with smoke billowing around them. She crawled to him. He didn’t look to be in any better shape than she was in.

  He had a gaping gash in his side. Blood spilled out making the ground glow with a ruby haze.

  She ripped off part of her tunic, pressing it desperately to his side.

  “I can’t seem to staunch the flow of the blood. I’m not strong enough.”

  He looked up at her. Pain creased his features.

  “This is the way it was always supposed to be. I’m finally paying for my past sins.”

  “I wouldn’t call petty thievery a sin to be paid for with your life. You never hurt anyone. You aren’t evil.”

  He smiled, reaching for her hand. “If the Fates are on our side, Malachi and your father will win this battle this night.”

  “I pray they will.”

  “I’ll go put a word in for you with the Fates when I cross over the sacred shore.”

  “You aren’t to be crossing over the sacred shore. You are staying here with me. I’m not going to let you die!” She looked frantically around her. Smoke still burnt her eyes, making them water. Through the clouds of her vision, she reached into his traveling bag. The globes mercifully were still intact.

  Melody looked stunned beyond belief.

  “What just happened?”

  “The stone wall surrounding the castle was almost completely obliterated. We were caught in the force of the resulting explosion.”

  “You look like you’ve been through the gates of hell and back, my dear.” Her eyes softened. “Thank the Fates you are still alive.”

  “Delbert is dying.”

  Melody looked stricken with grief. “I don’t know how I can help you, Annabelle.” Her eyes suddenly went to the dragon ruby amulet she wore. “There is one way, if legend rings true. You must put your hand on the dragon ruby, and tap into the ancient dragon healing magic that it possesses.”

  “I’m not that strong. I barely know how to draw on my own abilities.”

  “If you wish to see your father live out the night, you will at least try, Annabelle. Dragons were endowed with the greatest of magic, the only magic that might outweigh their magic is fairy, unicorn, and phoenix magic.”

  “I will try.” Placing the globe back safely into the traveling bag, Annabelle took the bag off of Delbert’s shoulder and crossed it around her shoulders. Then, she touched the dragon ruby. With chaos reigning around her, she tried to center her concentration in on the dragon magic. She touched her other hand to Delbert. Opening her eyes, she watched in amazement as a ruby glow engulfed her body, the healing magic flowed from her into Delbert. He started to sigh.

  “I feel like cool hands are touching me.”

  How could dragon magic feel cool?

  A loud terrible noise caught her attention, just as she watched Delbert’s wound heal. She looked up at the sky.

  “By the Fates!”

  He looked up to where she gazed in gaping astonishment.

  “What are those?”

  “I think it’s a fleet of flying dragons.” She could hear the awe in her voice.

  “You healed me for that? You healed me for me to be terrified by fire breathing dragons? I hate magic, hate it!”

  She assisted him to his feet, leaning against him when a sudden wave of bone-numbing exhaustion hit her.

  “You look like you need some of that healing magic from the necklace. Why can’t you use it on yourself?”

  “The wearer can’t heal herself with the dragon ruby. It is Annabelle’s magic that helped to bring out the healing powers in the amulet. It acted as a conduit for her impressive power.”

  “I wouldn’t exactly dub what little magic I have at my disposal, impressive.”

  “I would.” She smiled. Melody’s powerful voice still emanated from the traveling bag.

  Delbert legs still seemed a bit wobbly. They were both absolutely filthy. She coughed as the smoke settled in her lungs.

  “When is this battle going to let up?” Annabelle asked.

  “I have known witches, warlocks and wizards to be locked in magical combat for days on end.”

  “That’s really not helping me, Melody.”

  “With Malachi and Roland battling together on the same side, I highly doubt the battle will go into the morning.”

  She craned her neck to stare up at the approaching dragons. They would be at the battle sight within seconds.

  “Wait a minute. What is that leathery looking thing on the dragons backs?”

  “They’re dragons. I imagine it’s their own scaly dragon leather.” Delbert coughed.

  “I don’t appreciate that, Da. This is serious!”

  “Well, in that case…” he squinted his eyes. “I think it’s a saddle…with a rider or two…”

  She blinked her eyes in doubt, narrowing her eyes to see if she could see those astride the dragons any better.

  “Now that’s probably the only way to fly,” Delbert laughed.

  “Do not underestimate the freeing feeling of flying on your own magical power, or on a broom, or on a Pegasus…I once even flew on a Phoenix.”

  She frowned at the bag. “Thanks, Melody.”

  “You are most welcome. I don’t want to alarm anyone, but are you quite certain those dragons are coming to help us or do you think they’re coming to fight us?”

  “I was hoping they were coming to help us out. Are you telling me they could be working for Anastasia?”

  “Legend says that the true heir of Thaliana can charm any dragon. Once long ago, the dragons were the protectors of the Kings and Queens of Thaliana. Of course that was when the Elves and Faeries freely roamed our lands…much has changed.”

  “Well if that’s what legend states then, Anastasia is right out of luck.” Delbert grinned, throwing his arm affectionately around her shoulders.

  “Here’s the true heir of Thaliana, Princess Annabelle,” Delbert said proudly.

  She shuffled her feet uncomfortably. “I still can’t quite adjust myself to that title.”

  “Live with it, and embrace it, darling. You’ll never have to go without from this day forward, just don’t forget about your dear old, Da.”

  “Not possible.” She looked around them. The smoke was beginning to thin. The dragons would be here very, very soon. The dragon nearest to them let out a terrible roar, she pulled Delbert down with her. “I think that one is going to fry us.” Delbert knelt down next to her.

  “Let’s hope that amulet does its duty.”

  Annabelle stared down at it. She wasn’t surprised to see that it was glowing red.

  “We just went out of the frying pan into the bloody fire, literally.”

  At the next moment, she heard a scream that truly curdled her blood. “Anastasia.” They both looked around at Anastasia running toward them, her terrible magic blew off her. A few of her most radical followers trailed behind her.

  “Malachi is
coming, I can feel him near.” Melody’s voice streamed out of the bag. Annabelle turned to lock gazes with Malachi. He looked battle weary. Her father was just behind him, and Ardal was staring up at the sky in wonderment.

  “Princess Rainbow!” He shouted over the sounds of battle. She looked up, so that was who one of the two riders was…the other was Daniel. She smiled. The end was near.

  “Princess Rainbow?” Delbert looked at her questioningly.

  “She’s a friend of Malachi’s.”

  “Oh.” He looked back up at the dragons. “Then, that means she’s on our side.”

  “Definitely.”

  The dragon with Rainbow and Daniel as its riders blew out a concentrated stream of fire. It narrowly missed them, and blew up several of Anastasia’s lackeys.

  “Nice. I’m getting pretty sick of this!” Delbert shuddered. She breathed out a sigh of relief. They were going to make it through this alive. She felt a surge of triumph.

  She stared between Anastasia and Malachi. Anastasia had a malevolent gleam in her eyes. She was going to take her revenge against Annabelle by acting out in spite.

  Her heart froze. She had to do something. While she was trying to figure out what she could do, one of Anastasia’s warriors managed to get a clean shot out at Rainbow’s dragon. The dragon let out a scream, and plummeted to the ground. Annabelle had to do something to help!

  Anastasia was tapping into her foul dark magic to tip the scales of power heavily in her favour.

  “This can’t happen. She can’t win.”

  She stared over at Delbert. “Da, go and see if Rainbow and Daniel are unhurt. Daniel should know how to free his mother and father’s captured spirits.”

  He looked at her uneasily. “I won’t leave you.”

  “You have to for now. My place is my Malachi’s side. He can’t win without me.”

  “He looks to be faring pretty well on his own.”

  “I won’t leave him. You must go to Rainbow.”

  “Fine. Just live through this ordeal, please.”

  “I will. I shall grant you that one boon.” She smiled.

  “You’re already sounding like a princess. I like it.” She handed him the traveling bag, and with one last final glance her way, he darted toward Rainbow.

  Black hail started to rain down from the darkening sky. The moon was glowing red. She shuddered.

  She slowly made her way toward Malachi. The dragon ruby continued to protect her against the various fireballs shooting through the air.

  Roland was fighting his way toward them as well.

  “She’s nuts!” Annabelle shouted over the howling wind to Malachi. He drew her toward him, bringing her against his warmth.

  “I’ve pretty much figured that out by the maniacal gleam in her eyes.”

  “She’s not my mother!”

  “I know…”

  “No. You don’t understand, she’s not my mother. Her name is Anastasia. She’s Zara’s twin sister.” She stopped. “You know?”

  “I know.” He nodded his head solemnly.

  “Anastasia?” Roland gasped for air. His eyes lit with pure rage. “I’m going to kill her! Annabelle, you and Malachi get to safety.”

  “No. We aren’t going to leave you. Anastasia is my problem.”

  Roland’s eyes turned stormy. Beneath the fury was a light of pure anguish. He looked ready to tear Anastasia from limb to limb.

  “She was the one that gave me up. She poisoned Zara so she would bleed out after I was born.”

  His nostrils flared, he looked ready to blow fire out his nose.

  “I will avenge your mother. This explains so much. How foolish I’ve been, how sorry I am to you, Zara.” He looked toward the darkening clouds in the sky. “Forgive me, Zara. I failed you in a most horrible way.”

  She shivered. She could hear and feel the torment in his voice. It literally seeped into the air. She clung to Malachi.

  “We have to stop her. She is a more of a monster than Roland has ever been.”

  “Thank you.” There was a dry edge to Roland’s voice.

  “I didn’t mean it the way it sounded,” she muttered sheepishly.

  “I know.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I can’t deny that I’ve been a bad boy, but I’ve never used dark magic. I’ve made many mistakes. I never should have allowed Blackburn to dabble in the dark arts. I should have put a stop to it when it started. I’ve done so much that I must atone for.”

  He looked in Anastasia’s direction. “Malachi, I want you to get my daughter to safety. You might think this is your battle, but it’s not. I am the only one that can have a hope of stopping Anastasia. I can keep her from using her powers long enough so that I can destroy her.”

  Pain split through Annabelle’s head. “I can’t let you sacrifice yourself in your quest to destroy Anastasia.”

  “I can,” Malachi said simply. Aghast, she looked up at him.

  “How can you be so cold-hearted?”

  “You are in no condition to be arguing with me, I’m going to do as Roland asks and take you away from here. You need to be attended to by Rainbow.”

  “No.” She dug her heels into the ground. “I need to stay. I have to stop her.”

  “Roland can do it.”

  “He’s not of her blood, she just might be able to strike him down.”

  Roland had moved away from them. He was quickly closing in on Anastasia.

  She watched horror stricken as Anastasia’s skin started to darken. The irises in her eyes turned a pitch black.

  “That’s not a good sign.” Heaving a shuddering breath, she pushed herself away from Malachi, and dashed frantically toward Roland. In one swift movement, she pushed him out of the way. At that precise moment, Anastasia lashed out with her horrible power. The power bolt hit her, and yet she didn’t feel the force of it at all. She had to stop her…at all costs. Nothing mattered, except destroying Anastasia.

  Anastasia’s magic twisted and turned as it lashed around her. She touched the amulet it was glowing so brightly. It had lit up the area around her.

  “Reflect!” She raised her other hand, and prayed that the amulet would do her bidding. The dragon ruby’s magic followed her spoken command. In one blinding instant, Anastasia’s power was driven back toward her.

  Her eyes widened with dawning horror. “No…no, this can’t be! You can’t have the powers your mother had…you can’t have the mirroring magic.” Her voice turned to a frantic scream. She looked like she wanted to flee, but her legs wouldn’t budge.

  Annabelle could feel her strength ebbing. She would collapse soon, she couldn’t hold on much longer. The tendril of strength she’d been cleaving to for the last few days were finally at its breaking point.

  Only Death awaited her. She would at least die happy in the knowledge that she was sending Anastasia straight to the fires of hell—right where she belonged.

  She heard Malachi shouting her name. Roland’s coupled with Malachi’s heartbroken voice. Before her eyes shut for the last time, she saw Anastasia disappear in a hail of fiery magic.

  She’d won. It was over.

  Thaliana was safe. Malachi was safe.

  Totally drained, Annabelle fell to the ground, and fell into the deepest sleep of all.

  *****

  Annabelle was on a ship, with white sails. Looking around her, she saw a woman step out of the shadows. Her heart froze.

  “I am not Anastasia, my daughter.”

  Her heart started to race. “I am dead, then.” For some reason, she wanted to go back—she wanted a second chance.

  “You are not here to stay. Unfortunately, this journey we can’t take together.”

  “I…I don’t know what to say.”

  “Then, listen. I only have a short time. Even now, your friends work frantically to bring you back. Dragon healing magic is strong. It can bring a person back, even if they only are hanging on by but a thread. And, even if it weren’t, Malachi would do whatever was in the realm
of his power to save you. He would shorten his own lifespan if called to it. His love is strong—revel in it, Daughter. You must take up the reigns of leadership. Thaliana needs a queen—a queen that is endowed with a pure and just heart. Too many years have been spent in half darkness. The light must reign supreme once again over Thaliana. I only wish I, too, could go back with you. I love you with all of my heart and soul, Annabelle.

  You are my daughter…you are my hope. Thank you for doing in my stead, what I should have done years before my death. I always knew that Anastasia was the twisted mirror image of me. I always knew her heart hungered for dark magic, if only I’d stopped her before all of this suffering could happen.”

  “She is stopped now.”

  “Aye, indeed she is. We have only a few seconds left, I will be with you whenever you have need of me. Know that, my cherished one. You have a full life ahead of you—live it with happiness in your heart, and Malachi by your side. You will make a most wonderful queen. The bards will sing songs about you, and you will live in the legends of Thaliana.” She pulled her to her. And even though they were in the spirit realm, her mother felt solid beneath her touch. Zara gently kissed her cheek. “May the Fates bless you, my daughter. Your magic is great, with Malachi’s help you will turn into one of the greatest witches of your age.”

  “I don’t want to leave you. I love you, Mama.”

  “I don’t want us to be parted either, but you must go. Go with my love. Tell Roland that I will always carry him in my heart. And that to atone for the sins of his past, he must do right by you, and by his own subjects, he will understand.”

  She could feel herself being pulled back. She was wrenched out of Zara’s grasp, and slowly went plummeting backward.

  *****

  Annabelle’s chest heaved, as a great rush of air entered her lungs. Malachi cradled her tenderly in his arms. When she opened her eyes, she realized instantly that her spectacles were gone. And yet, she could clearly see Malachi. She was healed.

  “Malachi?” she said softly. She looked around her. The sky had cleared, and bright stars twinkled in the heavens. The moon was no longer red. She couldn’t help but sigh with relief. It was real. She was back.

  “Annabelle, my love. My queen.” His eyes darted to her low cut top. Right above her heart glimmered her magic mark. His eyes widened. He gasped in awe. “A dragon star birthmark…the Fates have bestowed upon you a great honour.” She chuckled.